The Sunken City

The Judge: Session 7

10

OCT/12

The flying piranha threat behind the party the group looks down at the river ahead, docks and a single tower plainly visible. Deciding on the evident course the party approaches the tower, noticing a vividly colored riverboat tied to the near docks.

An older woman with wispy gray hair protruding from under an battered, rusty helmet points a crossbow in the general direction of the group and questions their business. Answering they were looking for river bandits and the missing Gralks, she reveals she is familiar with the Gralks. The lady says Clotilda hasn’t been right since her youngest “left” town. She reports Jonas came by here with her several days ago and headed across the river.

The lady believing the group meant her no harm, let the party pass as another similar helmeted head appeared at the top of the tower as well. Approaching the riverboat the captain Erankus introduces himself to you. After a brief conversation he offers you free passage across The Flow in exchange for rooting out the bandits at the Keep down the river. He offers a longbow and barrel full of arrows for your help.

Agreeing to the deal, the party crosses the river. A small hut sits on the other side of the river for shelter while waiting for the riverboat. The group spots a few tracks that head north from here on a game trail. Noting that, the group heads east along the river to scout out the bandit’s keep with the sketch map Erankus provided.

Approaching the keep the group sees the large ballista used to target passing boats and a lone figure watching the river. Circling around the building a bit, the group also sees the steps leading up to the gate of the keep, flanked by two towers with sentries in them. The massive figure of what appears to be a bear wearing a hat appears to be chained at the base of the steps leading up to the keep.

Meffridus and Iomagoth retreat back to the docks to borrow a row boat and make their way back down the driver, beaching the boat on the south shore before reaching the keep. The pair make their way through the muck of the swap to get a view of the inlet depicted in the sketch. Within the inlet they can see there is a small cave with a small boat docked in the cave.

Just as the pair begins to head back to their boat, the sounds of something large moving through the reeds is heard. Meffridus chooses to summon forth snarling vines capturing the large crocodillo in them. The crocodillo’s movement is slowed as the pair reach the boat and clamber in. The crocodillo closes the last few yards and slams into the rowboat, knocking both into the water. The crocodillo snaps viciously at Meffridus, unlucky enough to be the closest to the great beast. Iomagoth sees little option but to call upon Malloc’s favor. Another set of roots erpupt from the swamp waters snaring the crocodillo allowing time for the pair to climb back into the boat and row safely away.

With the party reunited, the group decides to wait until night and raid the keep at night via the inlet. Letting the current slowly move them along the group near silently reaches the inlet and discovers a vertical tunnel that leads up and into the camp.

Patrice volunteers to ascend first and works his way up the ladder quietly, finding himself in a room with a burly man questioning three, ragged looking individuals. Patrice moves quickly and with his blackjack knocks the man to the ground unconscious in one fell blow. Wasting little time, he uses his dagger to end the man.

Questioning the three individuals Patrice decides to free them from their bonds, learning their names are Baptist, Exuberance, and Olfactory. They agree to aid the others in the fight.

As the others climb the ladder an axe wielding man bursts through the door hearing some of the commotion. The battle is swift as blows are exchanged, the trio of rescued prisoner tackling the man and then biting him as a sword thrust ends that bandits life.

Outfitting the rescued trio, the group makes their way to the ballista where they see three sleeping sentries. Patrice again makes his way stealthily up to the wall and easily dispatches the first, though not without waking the other two.

A battle breaks out and several blows are exchanged, the tower sentries by the gate come to investigate. Meffridus holds the newcomers off with a choking cloud as the others finish off the bandits on the wall. With choking cloud still intact the group turns the ballista and launches it at the wooden gate sending it crashing to the ground. Meffridus uses the still present choking cloud to smother the bear as more clouds are conjured and slings bullets used to put the bear down, still on its chain.

The group then heads to the other location that Baptist said held more prisoners. A cleaver wielding guard answers the door as Meffridus knocks. The group quickly overwhelms the last bandit.

Within the building some treasure is discovered and plundered, the prisoners are freed. Within an hour the rest of the keep is secured. The river bandit threat has been eliminated.